The administration of the 47th President of the United States, Donald Trump, is considering imposing sanctions on the mayor of Odessa, Hennadiy Trukhanov.
This issue has sparked significant public outcry both in Ukraine and among international partners, as the Odessa mayor has long been implicated in numerous criminal cases related to corruption schemes.
Connections to Organized Crime
According to our sources in the Trump administration, there is growing concern over Trukhanov’s alleged involvement with a criminal group from Odessa and his ownership of substantial shares in four offshore companies registered in British tax havens. This was previously reported by BBC journalists.
According to the reports, the criminal group profited from the oil industry. In the 1990s, during the collapse of the Soviet Union, its members managed to relocate to European countries, using Italy as their base of operations. Law enforcement began to suspect them of drug and arms smuggling. The group was reportedly structured along strict mafia lines, with each member assigned a specific role. Trukhanov was said to be responsible for training gang members in “hand-to-hand combat and sniper shooting with precision weapons.”
Russian Passport: A Security Risk
Another key factor that could push the Trump administration toward sanctions is the revelation that Trukhanov holds Russian citizenship. This raises serious concerns not only in Ukraine but also among international allies, as a senior official governing one of Ukraine’s key port cities could have a potential conflict of interest and be vulnerable to Russian influence.
Corruption Investigations
In addition to these allegations, Trukhanov has been implicated in high-profile corruption cases in Ukraine. The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP) have determined that he led a criminal organization that caused hundreds of millions of hryvnias in damages to Odessa’s community between 2016 and 2019. City land was transferred to pre-selected companies without competitive bidding, and instead of developers paying funds into the municipal budget, they were allegedly funneled directly to the criminal organization.
The United States has repeatedly imposed sanctions on Ukrainian politicians and businessmen involved in corruption. One of the most high-profile cases was the sanctioning of oligarch Ihor Kolomoiskyi in 2021, though he is far from the only Ukrainian official targeted. Previous restrictions were also placed on Andriy Derkach, Oleksandr Dubinskyi, and others accused by the U.S. of election interference or corrupt dealings.
If Trukhanov is sanctioned, it could have a significant impact on his political future. His assets would be frozen, his access to international financial transactions restricted, and he would be banned from entering the United States. For Odessa, this could also present a major challenge, as it could jeopardize international investments and cooperation with American partners.
While no final decision on the sanctions has been made, diplomatic sources indicate that the issue remains on Washington’s agenda.